TheV and W class was an amalgam of six similarclasses ofdestroyer built for theRoyal Navy under the 9th, 10th, 13th and 14th of fourteenWar Emergency Programmes during theFirst World War and generally treated as one class. For their time they were among the most powerful and advanced ships of their type in the world, and set the trend for future British designs.
They arrived in time to see service in the First World War. During the interwar period these ships formed the backbone of the Royal Navy's destroyerflotillas until gradually replaced by new construction; by the mid-1930s most had been displaced to thereserve fleet. Most ships survived to make an extensive contribution to theSecond World War effort, in the vital role ofconvoy escort, freeing up more modern ships for fleet action.
HMS Vidette (Admiralty V class), showing the typical inter-war layout of a V and W-class destroyer. She is wearing the 1939-pattern funnel bands of the 16th Destroyer Flotilla based atPortsmouth; one red over one white.
The V and W class were the ultimate evolution of British destroyer design in the First World War, embodying the improvements of their predecessors as well as new technological advances. Their lineage can be traced to theRiver or E class of 1902 that had introduced the classic raisedforecastle into the Royal Navy. TheTribal class of 1905 introduced oil-firing and the resultant economies in size, consumption and crew. TheParker-classflotilla leader of 1915 had introduced a raised shelter deck forwards, allowing two guns to be carried in the classic superfiring (i.e. one gun fires over the top of the one below and in front of it) "A" and "B" positions. TheYarrow Later M class, also of 1915, introduced a three-boiler, two-funnel layout allowing for a more compact hull and giving increased deckspace and theR class introducedgeared turbines giving 30,000shaft horsepower (22,000 kW) on two shafts.
The new design, originally known as the Admiralty V-class leader, incorporated all these improvements, and also a more sensible layout of the main armament, the amidships gun between the funnels being removed to the aft shelter deck,superfiring over the gun on thequarterdeck. This introduced the ubiquitous "A", "B", "X", "Y" layout for the main armament. New developments, such asdirector firing for the main armament, triple torpedo tubes and a heavier armament were introduced either from the outset, or as they became available. Ships with triple tubes became the Admiralty W class and those with their armament upgraded to theBL 4.7 in gun became Admiralty Modified W-class ships.
TheAdmiralty V-class leaders were the initial five V-class ships ordered in April 1916 and were designed and built asflotilla leaders. These ships were necessary as the 36 knot speed of the newS class meant that existing flotilla leaders would no longer be able to keep pace with their charges. To speed construction time, these new vessels were based on the three-boiler, two-funnel machinery of theR class and as they were inevitably larger, a slight decrease in speed was accepted. The fore funnel was tall and narrow and the after one was shorter and wider.
They differed from the later Admiralty and the Thornycroft V classes in that they had a larger bridge structure, taller foremast, mainmast mounted further aft to accommodate an enlarged spread of wireless aerials, extra boats abreast the after funnel and the searchlight platform between the torpedo tubes was enlarged to accommodate an extracompass.Vampire trialled triple mounts for her torpedoes and as a result had a total of six tubes.
The 23 vessels comprising theAdmiralty V class were ordered in July 1916 under the 9th War Programme as repeats of the Admiralty V-class leaders (ordered three months earlier) to counter the threat posed by reports of a new class of powerfulGerman destroyers (seeSMS S113). They omitted the flotilla leader function and as such differed in detail from the leader predecessor.
While all 23 ships were completed with two twin torpedo tubes (Voyager, which was completed with triple tubes, was an Admiralty W-class unit ordered in December 1916), in 1921 all Admiralty V class had their forward bank replaced by a triple bank, for a total of five torpedoes; and from 1923 onwards most ships had their aft bank (twin tubes) replaced by a triple bank, for a total of six torpedoes, except inVimy,Vanoc,Velox,Versatile andVortigern in which only the forward bank was replaced.
Vanquisher,Vanoc,Velox,Vehement,Venturous,Versatile,Vimiera,Vittoria andVortigern were built with the ability to be converted intominelayers within 24 hours. For this purpose they would land their torpedo tubes and "Y" gun on the quarterdeck and have screens fitted to protect the mines, of which up to sixty could be carried. They could be distinguished by the permanent mine chutes at the stern.
Vancouver – built byWilliam Beardmore & Company,Dalmuir, laid down 15 March 1917, launched 28 December 1917, completed 9 March 1918. RenamedVimy on 1 April 1928 to release the nameVancouver for another destroyer acquired by theRoyal Canadian Navy. Sold for breaking up 4 March 1947.
Vanessa – built by Beardmore, laid down 16 May 1917, launched 16 March 1918, completed 27 April 1918. Given pennant number G18. Sold for breaking up 4 March 1947.
Vanity – built by Beardmore, laid down 28 July 1917, launched 3 May 1918, completed 21 June 1918, sold for breaking up 4 March 1947.
Vanoc – built byJohn Brown & Company,Clydebank, laid down 20 September 1916, launched 14 June 1917, completed 15 August 1917, sold for breaking up 26 July 1945, wrecked offPenryn en route to breakers in June 1946, later salved and scrapped at Falmouth.
Vanquisher – built by John Brown, laid down 27 September 1916, launched 18 August 1917, completed 2 October 1917. Given pennant number D54, sold for breaking up 4 March 1947.
Vectis – built byJ. Samuel White & Company,Cowes, laid down 7 December 1916, launched 4 September 1917, completed 5 December 1917, sold for breaking up 25 August 1936.
Vega – built byWilliam Doxford & Sons Ltd,Pallion, laid down 11 December 1916, launched 1 September 1917, completed 14 December 1917, sold for breaking up 4 March 1947.
Venetia – built by Fairfield, laid down 2 February 1917, launched 29 October 1917, completed 19 December 1917, mined and sunk inThames estuary 19 October 1940.
Venturous – built by Denny, laid down 9 October 1916, launched 21 September 1917, completed 29 November 1917, sold for breaking up 24 August 1936.
Verdun – built byHawthorn Leslie & Company,Hebburn, laid down 13 January 1917, launched 21 August 1917, completed 3 November 1917, sold for breaking up March 1946.
Versatile – built by Hawthorn Leslie, laid down 31 January 1917, launched 21 August 1917, completed 3 November 1917, sold for scrapping 1946
Verulam – built by Hawthorn Leslie, laid down 1917, launched 3 October 1917, mined and sunk offSeiskari Island inGulf of Finland on night of 3/4 September 1919.
Vesper – built byAlexander Stephen & Sons,Linthouse, laid down 7 December 1916, launched 15 December 1917, completed 20 February 1918, sold for breaking up 4 March 1947.
Vidette – built by Stephen, laid down 1 February 1917, launched 28 February 1918, completed 27 April 1918, sold for breaking up 4 March 1947.
Violent – built by Swan Hunter, launched 1 September 1917, sold for breaking up 8 March 1937.
Vittoria – built by Swan Hunter, 29 October 1917, torpedoed and sunk byBolshevik submarinePantera off Seiskari Island inGulf of Finland 1 September 1919.
Vivacious – built byYarrow & Company, laid down July 1916, launched 13 November 1917, completed 29 December 1917, sold for breaking up 4 March 1947.
Vivien – built by Yarrow, laid down July 1916, launched 16 February 1918, completed 28 May 1918, sold for breaking up 18 February 1947.
Vortigern – built by White, laid down 17 January 1917, launched 15 October 1917, completed 25 January 1918, torpedoed and sunk byGermanE-boat offCromer 15 March 1942.
TheAdmiralty W class comprised 21 vessels, all ordered in December 1916 under the 10th War Programme, although the two ships ordered from Yarrow were cancelled in April 1917 and replaced by the orders for twoYarrow S class (Tomahawk andTorch). The Admiralty W-class ships were a follow on from the Admiralty V class, with minimal changes, primarily in that the triple torpedo tube mounting was now ready and all these vessels shipped two of these mountings from new. They also had a taller mainmast.
Walpole – built byWilliam Doxford & Sons Ltd,Pallion, laid down May 1917, launched 12 February 1918, completed 7 August 1918, mined inNorth Sea 6 January 1945 and written off as constructive total loss, sold for breaking up 8 February 1945.
Walrus – built byFairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Company,Govan, laid down 1917, launched 27 December 1917, completed 8 March 1918, stranded in Scarborough North Bay 12 February 1938 and written off as constructive total loss, sold for breaking up 5 March 1938.
Wessex – built by Hawthorn Leslie, laid down 23 May 1917, launched 12 March 1918, completed 11 May 1918, bombed by German aircraft offCalais 24 May 1940.
Westcott – built by Denny, laid down 30 March 1917, launched 14 February 1918, completed 12 March 1918, sold for breaking up 8 January 1946. Notable as first vessel to be fitted with theHedgehog depth charge mortar in August 1941.
Whitley (ex-Whitby) – built by Doxford, laid down June 1917, launched 13 April 1918, completed 14 October 1918, bombed by German aircraft and beached offOstend 19 May 1940.
Winchelsea – built byJ. Samuel White & Company,Cowes, laid down 25 May 1917, launched 15 December 1917, completed 15 March 1918, sold for breaking up 20 March 1945.
Winchester – built by White, laid down 12 June 1917, launched 1 February 1918, completed 29 April 1918, sold for breaking up 5 March 1946.
Windsor – built by Scotts, laid down April 1917, launched 21 June 1918, completed 28 August 1918, sold for breaking up 4 March 1947.
Wolfhound – built by Fairfield, laid down April 1917, launched 14 March 1918, completed 27 April 1918, sold for breaking up 18 February 1948.
Wrestler – built by Swan Hunter, laid down April 1917, launched 25 February 1918, completed 15 May 1918, mined offJuno Beach 6 June 1944 and written off as constructive total loss, sold for breaking up 20 July 1944.
Wryneck – built by Palmers, laid down April 1917, launched 13 May 1918, completed 11 November 1918, bombed by German aircraft offMorea, Greece 27 April 1941.
Wayfarer – ordered from Yarrow but not laid down, order cancelled April 1917.
Woodpecker – ordered from Yarrow but not laid down, order cancelled April 1917.
TheThornycroft V and W class were two V class and two W class specials built byJohn I. Thornycroft & Company Limited to Admiralty specifications. They were ordered in pairs six months apart, on 30 July 1916 and 9 December 1916, respectively. They could be recognised by a higher freeboard and shorter mainmast than the Admiralty type and the flat-sided funnels typical of Thornycroft. The large boiler room (two units) was aft with the single unit forward, the fore funnel therefore being narrower. This arrangement was transposed in the Thornycroft Modified W class. The V-class ships had twin torpedo tubes and those of the W-class triple units. The second pair had slightly more displacement and a guaranteed (by contract) speed of 36 knots compared with the 35 knots guaranteed for the first pair. Early in their careers the specified anti-aircraft gun, the QF 2 pounder, was replaced by a single QF 12 pdr 20 cwt Mark I weapon, on a platform between the after funnel and the forward torpedo tubes.
All exceptViscount, which became a long range escort, were modified to WAIR type fast anti-aircraft escorts. Their conversions were non-standard in that they carried a pair ofQF 2 pdr Mark VIII guns on platforms amidships –en echelon inWoolston only – and thatViceroy retained a bank of torpedoes for some time.
Viscount, built by Thornycroft, laid down 20 December 1916, launched 29 December 1917, completed 25 March 1918, sold for breaking up 20 March 1945 but actually broken up in May 1947.
Wolsey, built by Thornycroft, laid down 28 March 1917, launched 16 March 1918, completed 1 May 1918, sold for breaking up 4 March 1947.
Woolston, built by Thornycroft, laid down 25 April 1917, launched 27 April 1918, completed 28 June 1918, sold for breaking up 18 February 1947.
TheThornycroft Modified W class were a private design byThornycroft based on the Thornycroft V and W class to Admiralty specifications. These two ships were ordered in January 1918, at the same time as the first batch ofModified W class. In these two ships, the position of the boiler rooms was reversed, with the two-boiler room forward and the single unit aft. As a result, the funnel arrangements were transposed, with the thick funnel forwards and the narrow funnel aft. In common with other Thornycroft designs, they had characteristic broad, flat-sided funnels. Like the Admiralty modified ships, the Thornycrofts were up-gunned with theBL 4.7 inch Mark I weapon, and they received triple banks of torpedo tubes from the outset. Another feature of recognition was that the QF 2 pdr guns were mounteden echelon amidships, between the funnels.
The completion ofWitch was delayed by the end of the war, and she was eventually towed toDevonport and completed there at HM Dockyard. Both were converted to the Short Range Escort type during World War II.
Fourteen vessels were ordered to this revised design in January 1918 under the 13th War Programme (as well as the two Thornycroft ships to a variant design), of which seven were subsequently cancelled.
Vantage – also from Beardmore, renamedVimy 1918, laid down 16 September 1918, order cancelled 26 November 1918.
Venomous (ex-Venom) – built byJohn Brown & Company,Clydebank, laid down 31 May 1918, launched 21 December 1918, completed 24 August 1919, sold for breaking up 4 March 1947.
Verity – built by John Brown, laid down 17 May 1918, launched 19 March 1919, completed 17 September 1919, sold for breaking up 4 March 1947.
Whitehead – also by Swan Hunter, order cancelled 12 April 1919.
Wren – built byYarrow & Company, laid down June 1918, launched 11 November 1919, completed by HM DockyardPembroke Dock 27 January 1923, bombed and sunk by German aircraft off ofAldeburgh 27 July 1940.
Wye – also by Yarrow, laid down January 1918, order cancelled September 1919.
A further thirty-eight vessels were ordered to this design in April 1918 under the 14th War Programme, of which thirty-one were subsequently cancelled and only seven completed.These ships had a thick fore funnel and a thin after funnel.
Vengeful – also from Beardmore, order cancelled 26 November 1918.
Veteran – built by John Brown, laid down 30 August 1918, launched 26 April 1919, completed 13 November 1919, torpedoed and sunk byGerman submarine U-404 inWestern Atlantic 26 September 1942.
Vigo – also from John Brown, order cancelled 26 November 1918.
Vigorous – also from John Brown, renamedWistful June 1918, order cancelled 26 November 1918.
Virulent – also from John Brown, order cancelled 26 November 1918.
Volage – also from John Brown, order cancelled 26 November 1918.
Volcano – also from John Brown, order cancelled 26 November 1918.
Wager – built by Denny, laid down 2 August 1918, order cancelled 12 April 1919.
Wake – also from Denny, laid down 14 October 1918, order cancelled 26 November 1918.
Waldegrave – also from Denny, order cancelled 26 November 1918.
Walton – also from Denny, order cancelled 26 November 1918.
Whitaker – also from Denny, order cancelled 26 November 1918.
Watson – ordered from Fairfield, order transferred to Devonport Dockyard where laid down 1918, order cancelled September 1919.
Wave – also from Fairfield, order cancelled 26 November 1918.
Weazel – also from Fairfield, order cancelled 26 November 1918.
White Bear – also from Fairfield, order cancelled 26 November 1918.
Wellesley – built by Hawthorn Leslie, laid down 30 August 1918, order cancelled 26 November 1918.
Wheeler – built by Scotts, laid down July 1918, order cancelled 12 April 1919.
Whip – also from Scotts, order cancelled 26 November 1918.
Whippet – also from Scotts, order cancelled 26 November 1918.
Whelp – also from Scotts, order transferred to Pembroke Dockyard, order cancelled September 1918.
Whitshed – built by Swan Hunter, laid down 3 June 1918, launched 31 January 1919, completed 11 July 1919, sold for breaking up 18 February 1947.
Wild Swan – built by Swan Hunter, laid down July 1918, launched 17 May 1919, completed 14 November 1919, bombed and damaged by German aircraft and collided with a Spanish trawler 100 miles off of France, lost on 17 June 1942.
Willoughby – also from Swan Hunter, order cancelled 26 November 1918.
Winter – also from Swan Hunter, order cancelled 26 November 1918.
Witherington – built byJ. Samuel White & Company, laid down 27 September 1918, launched 16 January 1919, completed 10 October 1919, sold for breaking up 20 March 1947, wrecked while en routeCharlestown 29 April 1947.
Wivern – built by White, laid down 19 August 1918, launched 16 April 1919, completed 23 December 1919, sold for breaking up 18 February 1947.
Wolverine – built by White, laid down 8 October 1918, launched 17 July 1919, completed 27 February 1920, sold for breaking up January 1946.
Worcester – built by White, laid down 20 December 1918, launched 24 October 1919, completed by HM DockyardPortsmouth 20 September 1922, mined and damaged inNorth Sea 23 December 1943, written off as constructive total loss and used as accommodation hulkYeoman, broken up September 1946.
Wrangler – ordered from Yarrow, order later transferred to White, laid down 3 February 1919, order cancelled September 1919.
Werewolf – ordered from Swan Hunter but transferred to White, launched 17 July 1919 but not completed, order cancelled September 1919.
Westphal – ordered from Swan Hunter but transferred to White, order cancelled 12 April 1919.
Westward Ho – ordered from Swan Hunter but transferred to White, order cancelled 12 April 1919.
Yeoman – ordered from Yarrow, order cancelled 12 April 1919.
Zealous – also from Yarrow, order cancelled 12 April 1919.
Zebra – also from Yarrow, order cancelled 12 April 1919.
Zodiac – also from Yarrow, order cancelled 12 April 1919.
Four of the above ships along with destroyer leaderStuart were transferred to theRoyal Australian Navy in October 1933. The ships all served in World War II with three being sunk or scuttled during 1941 and 1942. During their war service in theMediterranean the five transferred ships made up a group that became famous as theScrap Iron Flotilla.
From 1937 the disposal of elderlyV and W class vessels ceased, and most survivors were converted to fast escort vessels. The onset of theSecond World War put a stop to lengthy conversions, but many ships were converted for convoy escort duty.
HMSVelox in 1944 after conversion to a long range escort (LRE).
The V and W class were designed to support theGrand Fleet in its actions in the North Sea, for which they were required to make fairly short, high speed dashes. Thus, they were unsuitable for theMid-Ocean Escort Force role to which they found themselves allocated in the Second World War, where speeds over 20 knots were of limited value (asASDIC rapidly lost efficiency) and endurance was desirable over firepower.
To remedy such shortcomings, a number of V and W class were modified intolong-range escorts to suit them to this sort of warfare. The small, single-unit boiler room was struck and the resulting space divided into fuel tanks (lower) and accommodation (upper). Not only did this both lower fuel consumption and increase bunkerage, but it provided much needed space for ballooning wartime crews. 'A' and 'Y' guns were landed and replaced with aHedgehogahead-throwing weapon anddepth charge stowage and launchers, respectively. The torpedo tubes were replaced with a QF 12 pdr anti-aircraft gun and platforms for a pair of20 mm Oerlikon guns amidships, with a further pair in the bridge wings.Type 271 target indication radar was added in its distinctive "lantern" dome on the bridge andType 291 air warning radar was added at the masthead, withHigh Frequency Direction Finding (HF/DF) fitted in some ships. The maximum speed of the conversions was around 24.5 kn (45.4 km/h; 28.2 mph).
Converted long-range escorts were (in order of date):
TheWAIR type conversion supplemented the construction ofHunt andBlack Swan-class escorts with their emphasis onanti-aircraft capabilities for east coast service (the exact meaning of 'WAIR' has fallen into obscurity; it is often capitalised suggesting anabbreviation oracronym, but it is most likely derived fromW-class anti-AIRcraft). TheThornycroft type leaderWallace was also given a WAIR conversion, but as a larger ship she also received a quadruple QF 2 pdr Mark VII mounting.
Converted ships were cleared to the main deck level, leaving only the funnels and after shelter deckhouse. The armament was replaced with fourQF 4 inch L/45 Mark XVI guns in two twin mountings HA/LA Mark XIX, shipped on the fore and aft main decks. The armament was controlled by a Mark II(W)rangefinder - director, fitted withType 285 radar for target ranging as soon as it became available. A new tower bridge, reminiscent of the Hunt class, was built and the metric Radar Type 286 air warning was added at the foremast head, replaced byType 291 radar as it became available. The armament was completed by a pair of quadruple0.5 inch Vickers machine guns on a platform amidships, although sometimes singleQF 2 pdr Mark VIII were carried in lieu. These guns were generally sided, but a number of ships had them arrangeden echelon to allow cross-deck fire. These light weapons proved to be generally ineffective and were replaced by the20 mm Oerlikon gun as it became available, although other ships took priority and the older weapons were carried well into 1942 in some cases. Two racks and throwers fordepth charges were carried aft, principally for self-defence purposes, althoughViceroy sankU-1274 off the east coast of Scotland on 16 April 1945.
Ships were allocated new L-series (escort)pennant numbers upon re-commissioning
The remaining V and W class were not given either of the former conversions as they were either early war losses, had the valuableBL 4.7 inch main gun or had the modified boiler arrangements of the Thornycroft and Admiralty modified designs with the small room aft. This latter feature proved unsuitable for the long-range escort conversion. Thus, these ships were known asShort-range escorts.
The conversion was generally limited to adding more role-specific armaments and new technology as it became available. Additions were made piecemeal, and ships were often lost with only some, or even none, of the following modifications. In common with most elderly destroyers allocated to escort duties in World War II, the after bank of torpedo tubes was removed early in the war and replaced with a single QF 12 pdr A/A gun. They also landed 'Y' gun to receive additional space for depth charge gear and stowage. Generally, two 20 mm Oerlikons were added in the bridge wings and (when available) replaced the old 2 pounder guns amidships, 'A' gun was replaced by a Hedgehog weapon and Radar Type 271 target indication was added on the bridge, with Type 286 or 291 air warning fitted at the masthead as and when available.Walpole,Windsor,Witshed andWivern received an army-pattern semi-automatic twinQF 6 pounder 10 cwt gun in 'A' position for East Coast anti-E boat work.
HMS Wolverine (Admiralty Modified W class) as modified into a "short range escort". She retains both boiler rooms and funnels, but has "Y" gun replaced by depth charges, the after torpedo tubes replaced by a 12-pounder anti-aircraft gun, centimetric Radar Type 271 has been added on the bridge and (not visible) "A" gun has been replaced by a hedgehog weapon.
The following vessels were short range escorts (one vessel was allocated a newpennant number in the L – escort – series):
HMSViperous is the name of a fictional V and W-class destroyer in the novelThe Cruel Sea byNicholas Monsarrat, the leader of an escort group includingCompass Rose, the focus of the first part of the story.
HMSWarlock is the name of the leader of a flotilla of eight fictional destroyers in the 1974 novelThe Destroyers byDouglas Reeman. Seven of these are V and W-class destroyers (HMSVentnor, HMSVictor, HMSWarden, HMSWarlock, HMSWaxwing, HMSWhiplash and HMSWhirlpool); the eighth, HMSLomond, is explicitly described as being a somewhat larger, newer and better armedflotilla leader.
HMSVagabond is the name of an apparently fictional V and W-class destroyer in the 1989 novelThe Fighting Spirit by Charles Giddey (Wheeler) published by William Collins. In this book's fictionalised account of the 1940 Dunkirk evacuation at least 15 actual V and W class ships are mentioned.
HMSVirtue and HMSVagrant are the names of two fictional V and W-class destroyers inRonald Bassett's 1977 novelThe Tinfish Run.
HMSViking and HMSVectra are two of the escorts of the 14th Aircraft Carrier Squadron inAlistair MacLean's novelHMS Ulysses.
HMSVortex is the name of a fictional destroyer participating in the 1918Zeebrügge raid in the 1963 novelThe Admiral byWarren Tute.
HMSWhippet is the name of a fictional (the real one was canceled) W-class destroyer converted for escort work in the BritishCommando War Stories in Pictures comic #669, titledDestroyer!, published in 1972.
Friedman, Norman (2009).British Destroyers From Earliest Days to the Second World War. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press.ISBN978-1-59114-081-8.
Gardiner, Robert & Gray, Randal, eds. (1985).Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press.ISBN0-85177-245-5.
Lenton, H. T. (1998).British & Empire Warships of the Second World War. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press.ISBN1-55750-048-7.
March, Edgar J. (1966).British Destroyers: A History of Development, 1892–1953; Drawn by Admiralty Permission From Official Records & Returns, Ships' Covers & Building Plans. London: Seeley Service.OCLC164893555.
Preston, Antony (1971).'V & W' Class Destroyers 1917–1945. London: Macdonald.OCLC464542895.
Raven, Alan & Roberts, John (1979).'V' and 'W' Class Destroyers. Man o'War. Vol. 2. London: Arms & Armour.ISBN0-85368-233-X.
Rohwer, Jürgen (2005).Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two (Third Revised ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press.ISBN1-59114-119-2.
Robert J. Moore and John A. Rodgaard,A Hard Fought Ship, The Story of HMS Venomous (2010) Holywell Publishing, St. Albans. Detailed "biography" of one of the later V-class destroyers
Clifford Fairweather, Hard Lying : The story of the V&W Class Destroyers and the Men Who Sailed in Them (2005) Avalon Associates, Stories from the deck ofH.M.S. Westcott from a surviving signalman.
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